Tuesday, May 15, 2007

SO AWAKE! GAH!

The good news: I did Day One, but it was after work instead of before.

The bad news: I am wide awake, it's late, AND I have to get up realllllllly early tomorrow. (Have to leave for work at 7 a.m.!)

More good news: The gardening swap is working out well. I gave the microgreens from thinning my swiss chard to my neighbor with the same last name who calls me "cuz." In exchange, she gave me spicy, yum arugula, a castor bean plant*, a raspberry bush, a peppermint plant and a tour of her yard. Oh, and some oregano for the baked kibbeh** I made for dinner.


*Neighbor Callsmecuz said she got the plants because GWB told people not to grow it. Looking at the website I linked to describe the plant, I can see why he'd want not to have it all over the place. But, really? That plant does scare me a little bit. I'm not sure I want something that poisonous in my yard. After all, someone might use it to load a Bulgarian Umbrella, and, MAN, I want nothing to do with that! Imagine the scandal!

**I used beef instead of lamb, and didn't use a recipe at all. Basically you take bulgar and make it soak up water. You mix it with raw meat and onions. Saltyish. I added oregano, mint and a teensy bit of sorrel for tang. Next time I'll either add more sorrel or some lemon juice. You smush 1/2 the mixture into a well-buttered (with butter) pan. Then you spoon over it some more onions (sweated) a small amount of browned ground meat, and toasted pine nuts. Then you put the other half on top. Bake until done and nicely browned.